first word from horse’s mouth that MCA is now started.

http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/jun/05drdo.htm

DRDO to develop new fighter aircraft

June 05, 2004 00:39 IST

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has initiated talks with the Indian Air Force to design and develop a Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA), a fifth generation fighter plane.

“We have started drawing (designing) the next generation Light Combat Aircraft, which we call as Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA). We are in a dialogue with the users (IAF) to find out their design specifications,” Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and DRDO Director General V K Aatre told reporters in Bangalore on Friday.

“Sooner or later, perhaps, in a decade or so, we should build our own twin engine aircraft,” he said.

IAF chopper makes world record (three) rescues at 23,200ft

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/711313.cms

does anyone have info on higher helicopter rescues ? my data
shows this would onlee be possible in himalayas.

Mount Everest 8850m (29035ft)
Asia
Aconcagua 6959m (22831ft)
S. America
Mount McKinley 6194m (20320ft)
N. America
Mount Kilimanjaro 5963m (19563ft)
Africa
Mount Elbrus 5633m (18481ft)
Europe
Puncak Jaya 4884m (16023ft)
Oceania
Vinson Massif 4897m (16066ft)
Antarctica

something like these cued by UAV sensor imagery would be useful for patrolling the supply chain in places like iraq and af. lot of people have been felled by IEDs and regular old F-16s are probably too expensive and scarce to maintain a constant vigil?

sure beats the drab white of LCA hands down. they need to move
the paint guy into his new job – get the LCA lookin sharp n mean!

per the link below F-16 airframe life is 8000 hrs
http://www.danshistory.com/f16.html

I think what it means is after 2000hrs a Flanker has to be extensively
overhauled, taken apart , all components checked and weakened parts
replaced to reset the airframe life ?

12th FS Elmendorf has 24 AESAfied F15C
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/12fs.htm

it was the 19th sqdn that came to india
http://www2.hickam.af.mil/pacaf/news/2004/200401/20040021.htm

no aesa but these eagle drivers being 15C types are definitely among
the very best in the world at ACM and one of first to field the aim9x.

Ken, the mkis were not used just the MK. the weapons used were
AA-11 & AA-10 on one side and sidewinder & sparrow on the other. No Bars, no adder, no aim9x , no amraam. So it was not
a top-of-line matchup….but still quite revealing no doubt.